The SQUEEZE: Jeremy Scahill’s book, Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Army, is the unauthorized story of the rise of a secret revolutionary force. Supported by the Bush administration, Blackwater is a private military contractor firm located in rural North Carolina. In the book, Scahill condemns the Bush administration’s mismanagement of the Iraq War, recounting infamous lynchings of Blackwater contractors in 2004 and calling attention to the broader trend of privatization of military functions. Although Scahill impresses upon the reader the value of winning federal contracts, he also focuses on the lack of accountability inherent within the system. Scahill’s Blackwater is a must-read for U.S. congressional and senate leaders.

Notable Endorsement: “Blackwater being rarely out of the news lately, this is a very useful survey of modern mercenaries - or, as they prefer to be called, 'private security contractors' in the 'peace and stability industry'...Scahill is a sharp investigative writer." –The Guardian (London)

“Jeremy Scahill’s exposé of the Blackwater mercenary firm forcefully demonstrates the grave dangers of outsourcing the government’s monopoly on the use of force.”- Joseph Wilson, former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq^[42]

Common Q’s Answered by this Book:

• What is “Blackwater”?
• What are private military contractors?
• Who is Joseph Schmitz?
• What is the Salvador Option?
• Who are the whores of war?
• What are the events leading up to the ambush?

About the Author: Jeremy Scahill is a National Security Correspondent for The Nation, a weekly published magazine devoted to politics and culture. Scahill grew up with “activist parents,” attending the University of Wisconsin at the beginning of his career. After dropping out of college, Scahill entered the “struggle for justice” movement, working in homeless shelters and volunteering as an unpaid intern for Democracy Now! His career as a journalist begins with his travel to Iraq and his work with Pacifica Radio. Scahill reported from such places as Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, and post-Katrina Louisiana. He is a frequent guest of The Rachel Maddow Show and Real Time with Bill Maher. Scahill has also appeared on CNN, The NewsHour, and MSNBC. Scahill has written for The Los Angeles Times, Z Magazine, and the Sunday Telegraph. For more information, visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Scahill.

Book Vitals:

• Publisher: Nation Books (May 2008)

Accolades:

• Winner of the George Polk Book Award
• Barnes & Noble Best Nonfiction Books of 2007

Amazon Best Nonfiction Books of 2007